In Scripture, the basic meaning of the terms predestination and election is the same: to mark out beforehand for a special purpose and blessing. On what basis? The sole reason that is always given is foreknowledge. So declare both Peter and Paul: "For whom he did foreknow [Greek: proginosko], he also did predestinate [proorizo] to be conformed to the image of the Son..." (Rom. 8.29); "elect according to [kata] the foreknowledge [prognosis] of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience..." (1 Peter 1.2). "That in the age to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (Eph. 2.7).

Calvin shuts his mind down because he is compelled to by his belief system as he declared, "...the Lord has created those who...were to go to destruction, and he did so because he so willed. Why he willed, it is not ours to ask..." To know the real reason is to find out he was never born-again, because Calvin never received repentantly the cross first by choice-the condition for salvation to be saved by grace through faith.

Pink calls it God's "predestinating grace" to send people to Hell. Grace preordains multitudes to Hell? Calvin says, God "is pleased to exclude them from the inheritance which he predestines to his children..." It is libel on the character of God to say that damning billions pleases Him! This distasteful doctrine is the inevitable result of Calvinism's extreme view of sovereignty. The Calvinist thrusts his doctrines of election and predestination into every conceivable Scripture text. But here and there we can show such forced interpretations are contradictory, constrictive and way out of context.